Dreams of Dragon Terror
by River Allie Llask
Summary: D/N but not fluff. Daine and Cloud go investigating possible Stormwing trouble in a forsaken part of forest and wierd things happen. Daine loses Cloud, and meets a stranger. Kinda creepy end. REVIEW FOR I DEMAND RECOGNITION!!... please.... hehehe. R


_-Okee-dokee. Here is my other version of my story-that-only-got-one-review-and-I-hope-this-one-does-better-so-**PLEASE**-review! I be Shastachaos, and I hope to post this before my mom gets back and kicks me off the computer (and also I can't think of anything to say), and I have a load of homework, so without any further complications, here's my story.      _

_--Actually the homework is only math, and we have this really cool project on grammar (yes, the grammar part sucks) where we have to illustrate verbs, etc., and make it into a book, and my theme is LOTR! My friends and I get to draw elves and get pics of Elijah Wood (Cute!!!!!!!!!!!!). Ok, ENOUGH! On with my story, for the benefit (or not) of all the readers on this site._

_Disclaimer:  None of my stuff is Tamora Pierce's. None of Tamora Pierce's stuff is mine. None of my stuff is my brother's, either, something he has yet to understand… _

Dreams of Dragon Terror 

*What do you hear, Cloud? *

Veralidaine Sarrasri communicated to her faithful mare, Cloud, who had just stopped in her tracks and flattened her ears.

*Nothing. It's what I smell. It's foul and evil. *

**Suddenly seventeen sparrows flew screeching from the trees and passed Daine, not even landing on the Wildmage, who usually meant comfort and security to all animals. Daine reached into their thoughts before they got out of range and saw black fear. These were some of the same birds that had saved the Lady Knight Keladry and her friends so many times. They wouldn't run from anything.**

*It's Stormwings. Only they and the Black God cause that kind of fear. *

Cloud snorted as if that were obvious, but she was tense nonetheless. Daine dismounted and sat, opening her mind to all the wildlife in the area. She found none, and that disturbed her greatly. 

_Just like it was during the Immortals War_, **she thought to herself**. _But even then, some small animals were still around, just hiding. _

*Something's wrong. We'd better get back to the road and find the search party. *

Daine froze. The most horrible cry reached her ears, and she cowered before it. She heard a movement in the trees and decided she didn't want to be caught by Stormwings right now. She had no way of knowing how rebellious they had gotten over the last thirteen years, and she didn't want to find out if she was still on good terms with them or not. Forsaking mounting, she led Cloud back through the trees to the road. 

**On the way Daine thought of the strange and complete absence of all animals in the area**. 

"Where are you my friends?" **she whispered**. "I'm helpless without you."

*You have me* Cloud told her.

Daine smiled. Then every thing went black.

            **She was flying on a dragon. No, she was the dragon, soaring through **

** the air on huge, magnificent gold wings, which slowly faded into the aqua color of the scales on her strongly muscled body.  She looked down and saw Tortall below her. She saw Tusaine, Galla, the Copper Isles, the Yamani Islands, Scanra, Maren, and Tyra also, in her great sweep over the land, though there wasn't much telling them apart.**

            **All the lands lay dark and desolate, as if they had been ravished by fire. In the country the trees were charred and crooked. Where Daine knew there were villages and fiefs, there was only ash. The cities were still standing, but they were empty, devoid of all life whatsoever. And they were quiet. So quiet that the lack of sound could penetrate your skull and drive you insane. The palaces, all of them, were also intact. Yet all of them, including Tortalls' great kingdom, lay still and gray, like perfectly carved stone. The oceans were as black as oil. Everything was still, except for the stormy motion of the waters, which seemed to move without cause.**

Daine saw not a living thing anywhere, and she didn't care. She was a dragon, an immortal, and immortals didn't mess in the affairs of mortals. With a deep breath and a heave she rocketed upwards, the joy of flight overtaking her. Her troubles and worries flashed before her and then settled on the clouds as she flew higher, into enlightenment.

What Numair always wanted, **she thought**. 

Her elated soaring ended abruptly and a mental force violently held her back. Above her, where the stars and the gods used to rest, was nothing. Nothing, in its absoluteness, without light or dark or sight or smell. Colorless, and feeling-less. It was the most terrible thing Daine had ever seen.

No! Where are the stars? Where are the gods and goddesses? My mother! Where is my mother?  

She cried out.

_Mother! Da! Mithros help me, where are you!_

But Daine-the-dragon's cries went on endlessly and unanswered. 

Daine woke up screaming. 

"No!"  **She was unaware of her surroundings for a few seconds, then recognized the part of the forest she'd been in before she lost conciseness. Barely, because it was late and the clouds covered the moon. **

She sighed with relief at the end of her nightmare.

Wait. Speaking of clouds… 

*Cloud? *

"Oh, she's not here, dear. By the way, it's a bit late to be out, especially in a dark forest."

Daine sat bolt upright and found herself staring into three round, dilated, pale purple eyes.

Ooooh! Creepy! REVIEW!!! I beg of you, review!! My last story only got ONE review! I was so depressed! *sobs at memory, contemplates suicide *  Yikes! See? Review if you want me to live and keep writing, and even if you don't, review and tell me so. Pretty, pretty please with Neal and Jon and George and Hayden and Elijah Wood and Orlando Bloom on top!

_P.S. I don't like the title. Any ideas?_

_Ok, peeps, thanx for reading. It makes me doubt my suicidal efforts to know that I'm noticed._


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